Profiling machine



April 2, 1935. A. M. DRAKE 1,996,408

- PROFILING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1934 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 3Sheets-Sheet 2 A. M. DRAKE PROFILING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1934 IIIlll -lllll l INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 2, 1935. A. M. DRAKE 1,996,408

' PROFILING MACHINE Filed March 28, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORATTORNEY Patented Apr. 2 1935 UNITED STATES 1,996,408 PROFILING MAomNEAlden M. Drake, West Hartford, Conn.,assign'or to Pratt & WhitneyCompany, Hartford, Conm,

a corporation of New Jersey Application March 28,

10 Claims.

This invention relates to metal profiling and milling machinesandparticularly to a manually operated profiling machine of medium sizehaving a plurality of cutter spindles adapted to be simultaneouslyactuated.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved support or mountingfor the tool heads and their carriage, including a motor for each toolrotating spindle therein supported adjacent and movable with said toolcarriage.

More particularly itis an object of the present invention to provide amotor support on a slidably mounted bracket member movable laterallyupon the frame or base of a profiling machine, the bracket member havingupon one of its faces a motor for each'tool head having a spindle andbeing adapted to counterbalance the support and help retain the toolcarriage in position against its ways.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible but metallicconnection between the tool head supporting carriage or slide and thebracket member for themotors so that the carriage may be readilyslidable on appropriate supporting ways and the bracket member may bemovable therewith upon individual anti-friction supporting bearings.

And finally it is an object of the invention to provide drivingconnections between the tool 30 spindles and their motors which may beadjusted for varying adjustments of said heads.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention includes thefeatures of construction and operation set forth in the followingspecification 35 and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the-accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of thisspecification, I have shown my invention embodied in a two-spindlevertical type profiling machine, but it will be understood that theinvention can be otherwise em bodied and that the drawings-are not to beconstrued as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claimsappended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a complete side elevational view showing one of the cutterheads on its carriage and the bracket member and spindle rotating motormounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a complete front elevation-of the machineshown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the invention. parts being brokenawayto more clearly indicate their construction.

1934, Serial No. 117,755 (o1. 90 1s.2)

In the above mentioned drawings I have shown but one embodiment of theinvention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understoodthat changes and modifications may be made within the scope of theappended claims without 5 departing from the spirit of the invention.

Briefly and in its preferred aspect, my invention may include thefollowing principal parts: First, a machine frame or base havinghorizontally extending ways upon one of its front vertical 10 surfaces;second, a carriage slidably mounted thereon; third, one or more cutterheads adjustably supported upon said carriage in which a tool mountingspindle and rotating means therefor may be vertically disposed thereinfourth, a 15 bracket member slidably mounted upon the upper portion ofthe base .or column preferably upon anti-friction bearings and havingindividual motors for each tool head or spindle adjustably mounted uponits rear vertical surface; and fifth, 20 a flexible metal connectionbetween the upper portion of the cutter head supporting carriage and thebracket member.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawings, I provide asubstantial machine base 25 or frame l0 having a column ll extendingvertically thereon and preferably formed integrally therewith. Upon thefront vertical surfaces of the base l0 may be adjustably mounted avertically adjustable knee I! on the upper horizontal surface of whichis adapted to be slidably mounted a work supporting table or carriageI3. Manual means such as the hand wheel I l and screw ii are providedfor. elevating the knee I! as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. There is alsoprovided fortraversing the carriage or table l3 horizontally back andforth ahand crank I6 shown in Fig. 2. This v crank l6 on the inner endof the shaft on which n it is mounted. has a small gear" in mesh witharack l8 on the table I3. As these parts are or may be similar to thoseusually found in metal cutting machines of this general type, it is notthought that a further description is necessary. Work blanks andtemplates may be mounted on this table in the usual manner for operationby cutting tools 20, tracers 2| being mounted adjacent each cutting toolin the usual manner.

On the upper portion of the column or frame and horizontally extendingthereon are ways 2!, one directly above the other in a vertical planeThese ways 24 are engaged by an elongated slide or carriage 25. Aclamping gib 26 engages over the upper end of the slide 25 andretainsthe slide in position against the upper way 25 and a taper gib 21engages over the upper edge of the lower with vertically movable sleevesM in which may be rotatably mounted cutter supporting spindles 32. Thespindles 32 may have their cutting tools 20 of any appropriate type attheir lower ends and at their upper ends are provided driving pulleys orgrooved sheaves 34. As the particular construction of spindle 32, sleeve3| and adjusting means for the sleeve are or may be those usually foundin machines of this type, it is not thought that further description isnecessary. Any suitable 'type of cutter head, sleeve and spindle may beprovided. On the heads 35, however, provision is made for supportingformer or tracer pins 2| for guiding the cutters-25 and work relative toeach other to cut irregular outlines.

Mounted for slidable movement upon suitable ways upon the upper portionsof the column I I is a bracket member 35. This member 35 preferably hastwo or more anti-friction bearings 35 projecting forwardly from itsupper and forward portion, the outer race of which engages an elongatedL-shaped member 31 extending horizontally along the upper portion of themachine column I l and forming a way upon which the bean ing issupported. Preferably bearings 25 are provided at the extreme lateralends of the bracket member 35, additional bearings being provided atintermediate points if desired. Also, a single anti-friction bearing itrests upon a horizontal V-shaped way 39 mounted directly on the framemember 1]., These three or more anti-friction members, that is theextreme bearings 35 and the bearing 38, serve to slidably mount thebracket 35 upon the'frame II for movement horizontally and with aminimum friction. As shown in Fig. 3 the bearing 35 is enclosed 'withinan annular member 40, the periphery of which is adapted to engage withinthe groove of the way 35 to retain the bracket member 35 againstdisplacement. The bearing 35 rotates between horizontal plane surfacesof the member 31 which may be secured directly to the upper surface ofthe frame ll. As the bearings 35, if more thantwo, are in a straightline and but one bearing 31 is provided in the v way 39, there can be nocramping or binding of any of these bearings.

To couple the bracket member 35 to the carriage 30 there are providedone or more thin strips of flexible metal 42 such as thin sheets or rodsof steel. The forward ends of these strips 42 are fastened directly tothe upper surface of the carriage 25,and the rear ends thereof areattach to a portion of the bracket member 35. This flexible connectionpermits slight relative'angular adjustment between the carriage 25 andthe bracket member 35; so that cramping or binding of one memberrelative to the other-by this connection is prevented, as these membersmay be moved back and forth; Also the weight of the bracket member 35and parts attached thereon serve to force the carriage 25 firmly a instits vertical ways 24.

On the rear vertical surface of the bracket member 35 are slidablymounted plates 55, these being tion operated by a hand wheel 5| toposition the slides 55 individually laterally and horizontally in anyposition along the bracket 35. On the outer vertical surface of theseslides are mounted motors 52, one being provided for each of the cut terspindles 32.: Each'motor 52 is provided at,

its upper end with a driving pulley 54 in alinement with the pulley 55on the upper end of the cutter spindle 32. By laterally positioning themotor supporting slides 50 and the motors 52 thereon, the belts 55connecting pulleys 54 and 55 may be adjusted to the proper drivingcondition, this being facilitated by the nut and screw connectionbetween the bracket 25 and slides 50 after the cutter heads 30 have beenpositioned for any one operative condition. The pulleys 54 and 55 may beof any conventional type such as flat pulleys shown in Figs. 1 and 2 orsheaved pulleys as shown in Fig. 3.

In order to laterally move the carriage 25 supporting the cutter heads30 during the operation of the machine, a rack 50 is mountedhorizontally on one of the lower surfaces of the carriage 25 in meshwith a small gear 5| on the forward end of a rearwardly extending shaft52. On the rear end of this shaft 52 is a suitable gear 53 in mesh witha smaller gear 54 on the rear end of the forwardly extending shaft 55.On the extreme forward end of this shaft 55 is mounted a handcrank orwheel 55 by means of which the. gears may be rotated and the lateralposition of the carriage 25 adjusted.

What I claim is:

-l. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a worksupport thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, toolheads on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on said base, meansflexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, and motors supportedon said bracket member.

2. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work supportthereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, horizontallyextending ways therefor, tool heads on said carriage, a bracket memberslidable on said base and holding said carriage against its ways, meansflexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, and motors supportedon said bracket member.

3. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work-supportthereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool heads onsaid carriage, a bracket member slidable on I adjustable on said bracketmember, and motors supported on said plate members.

4. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work supportthereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool headsadjustably mounted on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on saidbase, means flexibly connecting said bracket and saidcarriage, platemembers adjustable on said bracket member, and motors supported on saidplate members whereby said motors may be adjustable relative to saidcarriage and in the same direction .as saidtool heads.

5. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work supportthereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool headsadjustably mounted on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on saidbase in adirection parallel to said carriage, means flexibly connectingj movable preferably by a screw and nut connecsaid bracket andsaidcarriage, and motors adjustably supported on said bracket member formovement in a direction parallel to the direction of. movement of thetool carriage and bracket member.

6. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work supportthereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool headsadjustably mounted on said carriage, a bracket member slidable on saidbase in a direction parallel to said carriage, means flexibly connectingsaid bracket and said carriage, plate members slidably mounted in saidbracket member, and motors adjustably supported thereon for movement ina direction parallel to the direction of movement of the tool carriageand bracket member.

7. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a, base, a worksupport thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, toolheads adjustably mounted on said carriage, tool spindles in said heads,driving pulleys at the upper ends thereof, a bracket member slidable onsaid base in a direction parallel to said carriage, means flexiblyconnecting said bracket and said carriage, motors adjustably supportedfor movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of thetool carriage and bracket member, said motors having their pulleys atthe upper ends thereof, and driving connections between the pulleys onsaid spindles and motors.

8. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work supportthereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, tool headsadjustably mounted on said carriage, tool spindles in said heads,driving pulleys at the upper ends thereof, a bracket member slidable onsaid base in a direction parallel to said carriage.

means flexibly connecting said bracket and said carriage, motorsadiustably supported for movement in a direction parallel to thedirection of movement 01' the tool carriage and bracket member, saidmotors having pulleys at the upper ends thereof, and belts connectingeach spindle pulley with its motor pulley.

9. A profiling machine comprising in combination, a base, a work supportthereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, a tool head onsaid carriage, horizontal ways on said base for supporting and guidingsaid tool carriage, a bracket member slidably mounted for movement onsaid base in a direction parallel to said tool carriage, a flexiblemetallic strip connecting said tool carriage and bracket member formovement together and retaining said carriage upon its ways, and a motoron said bracket member and adjustable thereon in a direction parallel tothe direction of movement of said tool carriage.

10. A profiling machine comprising in combination. a base, a worksupport thereon, a tool supporting carriage movable on said base, a toolhead on said carriage, horizontal ways on said base for supporting andguiding said tool carriage, a bracket member slidably mounted formovement on said base in a direction parallel to said tool carriage, aflexible'metallic connection between the upper portion of said toolcarriage and the upper portion of said bracket member for movementtogether and retaining said carriage upon its ways, and a motor on saidbracket member and adjustable thereon in a direction parallel to saidtool carriage.

ALDEN M. DRAKE.

